Magnetic or optical scanner or readers for checks are in use since long time. These scanners are particularly used in accounting departments of banks and similar financial organizations for receiving and processing data related to banking documents, such as checks, bank receipts, bills of exchange, etc. As in said departments is always present at least an electronic data processor, these scanners are interfaced with the processor through a proper connection.
Further, to the processor is connected at least a keyboard and a display, so that on the desk of the processor operator must be present at least the check scanner, the keyboard and the display.
As there are room problems in arranging the above mentioned items on a desk, it has been proposed, as a first solution for reducing encumbrances, the use of a reader or scanner for checks incorporated in a keyboard for electronic processors, as for example disclosed in the published European Patent Application, indicated as EP-A-0 670 557, filed on Mar. 2, 1995 and published on Sep. 6, 1995, having the same applicant and inventor of the present application. In such an application is disclosed a scanner or reader incorporated in a keyboard to be connected to an electronic processor allowing to reduce the space taken by the peripheral equipments of the electronic processor consisting of the keyboard and the scanner.
Such a scanner works undoubtedly well, however has the problems of being suited just for those electronic processors needing a standard keyboard, while in the case of processors needing a dedicated keyboard, as sometimes it happens in bank departments having their own procedure needs, people are compelled either to give up the scanner, having the incorporated keyboard, or to try to modify the incorporated keyboard according to the proper procedures, which is, not only particularly engaging and tedious, but can also result impossible.